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Re: Constant nursing...I'm going bonkers

Originally Posted by @llli*irishlake

While I have tried the nursing station with #2, it just wasn't realistic for us. Part of it is that my butt gets numb from sitting in the same chair all time. So I'll nurse on the couch, on the bed, in the recliner, etc. Wherever feels best at that time. So long as I have my water with me, I'm in good shape. Staying stationary in a nursing station for 6-8 weeks isn't realistic for many new moms. Not everyone here is a SAHM, cloth diapering, breastfeeding for years, completely natural L&D type of new mom. And that is ok! I'll always admire and respect another moms choices, so long as they aren't harming their baby. Whatever works best for each mom is what's best for them, and no one should ever be made to feel inferior if they do something differently. I hate seeing new moms chastised or scolded for not being like "most" other moms, when really, it may be "many" but certainly not "most." For me, it's back to work sometime between 6 and 8 weeks. I'll pump my heart out until I reach my goal of BF time, which is 4 months. Don't get me wrong, it's gotten easier with each kid. But with my job, pumping can prove to be difficult (I'm a geologist at a nuclear facility). And my husbands work schedule, while awesome, doesn't always work out in our favor. He's a firefighter/Medic, works 24 hours, is off for 48. So during those 24 hours he's working, it's up to me to feed all 3, make sure the other kids have clean clothes to wear, that my daughter has her homework done, and that both older kids get a little bit of individual attention, that daughter gets to and from school on time, that the dogs get fed and let outside, etc. With my son, I got proficient at nursing while standing in that sometimes difficult cradle hold. I'll get there again with this baby as well.

Hang in there MilkMonsterMama (love that name!)! It'll get better, we've all been there!

Actually most here aren't SAHM mothers but even if you are going back to work most breastfeeding mothers do in fact spend the first 4-6weeks on the couch nursing and that IS in fact quite normal for a breastfeeding mother and I want new mothers with no kids to know that. I think that new mothers who think that they should be doing all this OTHER stuff that they would do with time off before a child is born OFTEN get very stressed out about not cleaning the house and paying the bills. And if you treat breastfeeding like it's ONE of the things you need to get done when you are in fact working to regulate your supply, you often do so with very detrimental effects to your supply. And really if your goal is to breastfeed exclusively than you need to work and focus on doing that. And I am not speaking about most mom here. I am speaking specifically about breastfeeding Moms. Which isn't MOST by any stretch at all. But when speaking about us here, I can say most. Because it's true. And yeah you really do need to work and focus the first 6-12weeks to make it a successful endeavor. And quite frankly I am working to get people to the year point at least. If you are happy with 4 months great. But that is not where I am trying to get people to. The minimum recommendation is a year. So in terms of that kind of investment in terms of being your childs sole source of nutrition, the time investment on the front end is going to be a little heavy.

Re: Constant nursing...I'm going bonkers

I have four kids, and I have never left them to cry for a few minutes intentionally just for a shower (once in a great while I would think the baby was asleep, get up for a minute and come back to find he had woken up ). Instead, I have a bouncy seat next to the shower, sit them with toys once they can sit up, or shower with them. Or wait until DH gets home and I shower then.

Re: Constant nursing...I'm going bonkers

Originally Posted by @llli*irishlake

\ Staying stationary in a nursing station for 6-8 weeks isn't realistic for many new moms.

just wanted to add that "nursing station" perhaps shouldn't be taken so literally. to me my nursing station was the whole living room. and if i got sick of that i could go to another room. i think the general idea is to focus on feeding yourself and your baby for as long as possible in the early weeks. i always found keeping snacks and water in nearly every room was a good idea b/c you never know what room you'll end up in. i also wore a robe with pockets and put snacks in there also hang in there, this too shall pass.

Re: Constant nursing...I'm going bonkers

Exactly Christina.

I even have a "nursing station" in my car. In fact, I chose and bought my car, based on the fact that I could set up a good nursing station in the backseat! lol (comfy reclinable seats, a place to keep drinks and snacks, etc).

Re: Constant nursing...I'm going bonkers

Not for nothing, but sometimes my baby has to cry for a minute while I tend my older child. She's in the moby a LOT.. I can cook light things (nothing splattery), feed my 3.5 yo, eat, pee and even do dishes and fold laundry with her in the moby. I wait to shower until my husband comes home if I need to.. but if my 3.5 needs to be tended to (hurts himself, needs his diaper changed (no, he's not potty trained yet.) whatever) and she happens to be on the play mat or something, sometimes she really does HAVE to cry for a minute.
That study about CIO doing permanent damage involved longer crying than just a minute or two here or there. I think it's short-sighted and a little bit inflammatory to suggest that if a baby cries, they're doomed.

Call me Trish!
Robbie, born at 26w2d on 5/31/08. EPed 15 months. He was G-Tube fed until just before his 3rd birthday. He now knows the joy of food and drink by mouth!
Charlotte born 11/12/11 at 35w2d. Blissfully feeding her from the tap since birth.

Re: Constant nursing...I'm going bonkers

Originally Posted by @llli*triciajoy

Not for nothing, but sometimes my baby has to cry for a minute while I tend my older child. She's in the moby a LOT.. I can cook light things (nothing splattery), feed my 3.5 yo, eat, pee and even do dishes and fold laundry with her in the moby. I wait to shower until my husband comes home if I need to.. but if my 3.5 needs to be tended to (hurts himself, needs his diaper changed (no, he's not potty trained yet.) whatever) and she happens to be on the play mat or something, sometimes she really does HAVE to cry for a minute.
That study about CIO doing permanent damage involved longer crying than just a minute or two here or there. I think it's short-sighted and a little bit inflammatory to suggest that if a baby cries, they're doomed.

The post I responded to listed showers as something they left their child to go do AND said that crying doesn't hurt in the long run. Most people even if they are super quick aren't showering in a minute or two. So yeah I think the sentiment walking away to take a shower is leaving your kid to cry. And the part about it being OK I don't agree with at all. And have seen enough research that I wouldn't casually pass it off as doing no damage.

Re: Constant nursing...I'm going bonkers

Originally Posted by @llli*aprilsmagic

I have four kids, and I have never left them to cry for a few minutes intentionally just for a shower (once in a great while I would think the baby was asleep, get up for a minute and come back to find he had woken up ). Instead, I have a bouncy seat next to the shower, sit them with toys once they can sit up, or shower with them. Or wait until DH gets home and I shower then.

A water sling is handy too.

But to pee..I hold the baby. I even pumped while holding the baby

I still hold DS if I have to pee and he is upset, sometimes it is the only way to do both.

A water sling. I am intrigued, have never heard of such a thing. *runs off to google*

Re: Constant nursing...I'm going bonkers

I have even changed diapers while baby wearing and I always tend my older kids while wearing baby. I homeschool with baby in a sling. I feel it's important to show our children how to get things done without letting baby cry and while attending to baby if we ever want to change the idea that CIO is OK. And my boys run to me now if the baby is crying. I love it. If they marry girls who are OK with CIO, I might be one of those MILs the DIL complains about